AUGUSTA — The University of Maine Augusta will hold a Health Equity Dialogue from noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, as a virtual panel and round table discussion. Health equity is the justice principle that everyone should have an equal opportunity to achieve health. The goal of the Health Equity Dialogues is to convene and connect scholars, community members, public health professionals and healthcare practitioners across disciplinary divides and siloes to work on high priority community health challenges in Maine.

In the facilitated dialogue, a panel of health systems and community health leaders from across Maine will explore the following topic: How are local health systems leaders and public health officials working for health equity in their regions and communities? The round table discussion will include local leaders in various regions of the state who will discuss priority areas and challenges to ending health inequities with place-based and community-led strategies.

Katherine Weatherford Darling, UMA assistant professor of sociology, will moderate the discussion and panelists will include Brendan Schauffler, Oxford County Wellness Collaborative; Jason Parent, Aroostook County Action Program; Ben Hummel, Maine Mobile Health; Melissa Fochesato, Midcoast Health; Paula Tomson, CDC Central District Liaison; Alfred May, CDC Eastern District Liaison; and Jamie Paul, CDC Western District Liaison.

To attend, RSVP https://forms.gle/H16Wc8VuWLTi4HFz6 and a link to join via ZOOM will be emailed. Those who need a reasonable accommodation to participate should contact Joseph Spiller at joseph.spiller@maine.edu to make arrangements.

For more information on UMA, visit uma.edu.